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Baltimore, Maryland

Baltimore Landlord-Tenant Laws

Security deposit limits, eviction notices, rent control, and more for Baltimore, Maryland.

How we research these summaries

Every rule on this page is drawn from state statutes and municipal codes and summarized with AI assistance. Each one cites the statute it's based on and links to a published text of that law so you can read it firsthand. Where a page says a city or county has no local rule on a topic, that means none was found for the topics covered here — not that none exists. Local governments also regulate rental housing in ways these pages don't track, including registration, licensing, inspections and habitability standards. These summaries may be incomplete or out of date, laws change often, and every property and tenancy has specifics a summary can't capture — so treat this as a starting point for your own research, not as legal advice, and check with the local jurisdiction and a qualified attorney before acting on your particular situation.

What to Know in Baltimore

Sources last checked July 2026

Baltimore City conditions the right to collect rent on holding a current rental licence: under Baltimore City Code Art. 13 § 5-4, a landlord without one may not charge, accept, or even seek rent for any dwelling in the city. The city also sets its own move-out notice under Public Local Laws Art. 4 § 9-14 — generally 60 days before the landlord is entitled to possession, reduced to 30 days on specific grounds such as lease breach or nuisance — on top of Maryland's statewide notice floor. Baltimore has no just-cause eviction ordinance of its own; state law governs eviction grounds.

  • Baltimore City conditions the right to rent, and to collect rent, on holding a licence.
  • Baltimore City has its own codified notice period. Under Public Local Laws Article 4 § 9-14 the notice a landlord must give to terminate a tenancy is 60 days before the date the...
  • Security deposits capped at 1 month's rent
  • 90-day advance written notice required for rent increases
  • Maryland has no statewide rent increase cap. Landlords may raise rent by any amount, subject to the 90-day notice requirement and the one-increase-per-12-months limit under HB 693.
5 rules summarized · Each linked to the law it cites

Baltimore Local Rules

Eviction Notice Requirements

What are the eviction notice requirements in Baltimore?

Baltimore City conditions the right to rent, and to collect rent, on holding a licence. Under Article 13 § 5-4 no person may rent or offer to rent a dwelling without a currently effective licence, and no person may charge, accept, retain or seek to collect any rental payment or other compensation for occupancy unless they were licensed. The requirement reaches all rental dwellings in the city, with no exemption based on the number of units. The practical effect is that an unlicensed landlord cannot lawfully demand rent going forward, and a landlord bringing a failure-to-pay-rent action is expected to state a valid licence number. Baltimore has no just-cause eviction ordinance — Maryland state law supplies the grounds and the notice periods.

Baltimore City Code Art. 13, § 5-4
Move-Out & Lease Termination Notice

What is the move-out notice requirement in Baltimore?

Baltimore City has its own codified notice period. Under Public Local Laws Article 4 § 9-14 the notice a landlord must give to terminate a tenancy is 60 days before the date the landlord would be entitled to possession, reduced to 30 days on specific grounds including breach of the lease, nuisance, non-housekeeping rooms and seasonal tenancies. Maryland sets the floor beneath this — 60 days for a month-to-month tenancy and 90 days for a year-to-year one under Real Property § 8-402(c)(2), and the city ordinance layers on top of that floor rather than replacing it — Baltimore is not exempt from the state rule. Separately, a tenant giving notice of intent to vacate has their own 72-hour requirement under a different section, which should not be confused with the landlord's termination notice.

Baltimore City Public Local Laws Art. 4, § 9-14

Applicable Maryland State Rules

These state-level rules apply in Baltimore where no local override exists.

Security Deposit Limits State Law

What is the security deposit limit in Baltimore?

Effective October 1, 2024, the Renters' Rights and Stabilization Act (HB 693) reduced the maximum allowable security deposit in Maryland from 2 months' rent to 1 month's rent for most residential tenancies. An exception permits up to 2 months' rent if the tenant receives qualifying utility assistance from a governmental or charitable source. Landlords must hold security deposits in a separate escrow account and pay interest. Deposits must be returned within 45 days after the tenancy ends, with a written itemization of any deductions. Landlords who wrongfully withhold deposits are liable for the amount wrongfully withheld, plus penalty damages.

Maryland Real Property Code § 8-203 (as amended by HB 693, 2024)
Rent Increase Notice Periods State Law

How much notice is required for rent increases in Baltimore?

Effective October 1, 2024, the Renters' Rights and Stabilization Act (HB 693) requires Maryland landlords to give tenants at least 90 days' written notice before any rent increase takes effect on leases longer than one month. Prior law required only a reasonable notice period. A landlord may not impose more than one rent increase on a tenant in any 12-month period. For week-to-week or other shorter periodic tenancies, notice requirements follow the tenancy term. Retaliatory rent increases — imposed after a tenant exercises legal rights such as making a good-faith complaint about housing conditions — are prohibited under Maryland Real Property Code § 8-208.1.

Maryland Real Property Code § 8-208 (as amended by HB 693, 2024)
Rent Control / Rent Increase Caps State Law

Is there rent control in Baltimore?

Maryland has no statewide rent increase cap. Landlords may raise rent by any amount, subject to the 90-day notice requirement and the one-increase-per-12-months limit under HB 693. However, several Maryland jurisdictions have local rent stabilization: Montgomery County caps annual increases at the lesser of CPI plus 3% or 6% of base rent; Prince George's County limits increases to 6% or CPI plus 3%, whichever is lower; Takoma Park has its own rent stabilization program. Landlords in unregulated jurisdictions have no cap on the amount of a rent increase. A retaliatory rent increase is prohibited under Maryland Real Property Code § 8-208.1.

Maryland Real Property Code §§ 8-208, 8-208.1

Other Maryland Cities & Counties

Montgomery County All Maryland laws →

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